Sweden To Reconsider Not Studying Relation Between Migration and Crime Following ‘High Demand’

bra.seCHRIS TOMLINSON10 May 2018

The Swedish criminal statistics agency Brå has announced it will be considering an in-depth study on the relationship between immigration and crime claiming there has been a recent surge in demand for data on the subject.

The agency made the announcement this week saying that the recent political climate has made them reconsider publishing data on the relationship between migration and crime for the first time in over a decade.

According to the agency previous studies had shown, “a larger proportion of foreign-born people appear to be suspected as compared to the proportion of native-born. The overwhelming majority of foreigners have not been suspected of crimes,” and added that they did not consider another study to yield and fresh data on the subject.

Brå reiterated previous claims that the gathering of ethnic and migration background data of suspects was not part of their mission and that neither the government nor the judiciary had requested any new studies on the subject.

“It can now be noted that the demand in the social debate on updated information on the relationship between crimes on the one hand and descent and migration, on the other hand, is so strong that the authority needs to consider the possibilities again,” the agency said.

A new study will likely take time according to the press release with the earliest data being made available no earlier than 2019.

Henrik Tham, Professor Emeritus in Criminology voiced opposition to any new studies claiming it would be unlikely the agency would find any new data.

“The goal of crime policy is to reduce total crime and increase security. Not to reduce group violence by young men from country x. It affects the crime level very little,” Tham said and claimed such a study would only be used to “close the borders” rather than reduce crime.

The announcement comes after two major Swedish newspapers conducted their own studies into the prevalence of migrant perpetrators in cases of gang rapes.